I Just Wanted to Trim the Grass
by Nienna1
Summary: All Sam wanted to do was trim the grass. A short vignette from Sam's point of view.


A/N: Just a cute little story I thought up while skimming through FOTR. Enjoy!

You never know what can happen if you decide to trim the grass under the window, late at night. That is all I was trying to do. It was uncommonly hot for the middle of April. I stayed outside just long enough to water the plants in Mister Frodo's garden that day, and then I immediately went home. I told myself I would get the rest of the work done later, after it had cooled off a bit.

That night, I ran into Mister Frodo at the Green Dragon, and we talked for a while. I must admit, I stayed a wee bit longer at the inn than I should have, because I was dog tired afterwards. As I was walking home, I decided that I could do the garden work tomorrow, but then I noticed the grass under the window was just a little too long. "Well, I guess I can trim the grass before I go to bed. It ain't too much trouble," I thought. "I'll just go home and get the hedge clippers."

I grabbed the clippers from the front hallway and made my way back to Mister Frodo's house. I was going to let him know I was here, but I heard him speaking to someone. "Best not disturb Mister Frodo when he has got company over," I thought to myself. "I'll just trim the grass real quick and be on my way."

I began working. I wasn't paying any attention to what was going on inside Bag End, honestly, I wasn't. But then I heard Mister Gandalf's voice. Mister Gandalf always has the most fascinating stories about Elves and Dwarves and all sorts of other fantastic creatures, so I stopped trimming, sat quietly, and listened for a spell. I wasn't trying to listen in to Mister Frodo and Mister Gandalf's private business, really, I wasn't. I just wanted to hear about the Elves.

Unfortunately, Mister Gandalf wasn't talking about anything as light and happy as Elves, though I did hear him say one quick thing about them. No, instead of Elves he was talking about dark and dangerous business. I heard him say something about a ring, and then I heard him say something about a Dark Lord. Now, I may not be the sharpest sword of the bunch, but I was smart enough to know that this was a conversation not meant for my ears.

I ever-so-slowly began to crawl away, but then I heard Mister Frodo say something about going away. That did it. As much as I tried to contain myself, I let out a muffled choke. Mister Frodo go away? He couldn't, and that's a fact.

Then I was caught. Mister Gandalf heard my small choke and dragged me in the house through the window. "Samwise Gamgee!" he cried. "Have you been eavesdropping?"

"I don't follow you sir, beg your pardon," I said. "There ain't no eaves at Bag End, at least not that I've seen."

"Don't be a fool!" said Gandalf. "What were doing, and what did you hear?"

"I was just trimming the grass under the window, if you follow me," I said, holding up my hedge clippers.

"No, I don't follow you," said Mister Gandalf. "It has been a while since I heard the sound of your shears. Now what did you hear? Speak!"

"Well, I heard something about a Ring, and a Dark Lord," I admitted. "And a bunch of other things I didn't understand. But I listened because I heard you talking about Elves. I would dearly love to go see Elves." 

Gandalf laughed. "Go to see the Elves, eh?"

I nodded. "I want to go see the Elves, sir, with Mister Frodo."

Gandalf eyed me closely. "So you heard Frodo was going away, did you?"

I nodded again. "That's way I choked, which you heard, seemingly. I tried not to, you see, but it burst out of me. I was terribly shocked, and upset. Can it be helped?"

"No, Sam, I'm afraid not," said Mister Frodo.

"But if you really care about Frodo, you shall keep all you heard here tonight a dead secret," said Mister Gandalf. "If you don't, I will turn you into a spotted toad and fill the garden full of grass-snakes."

I trembled, and fell to my knees. "Really?"

"Get up, Sam," said Gandalf. "No, I will not do that, because I've thought of a better use for you. It will shut your mouth, for one thing, and it will punish you properly for listening in on our conversation. You shall go away with Mister Frodo!"

"Me, sir!" I cried. "Me, go and see the Elves and all? With Mr. Frodo? Hooray!" I shouted, then burst into tears.

I may have been happy about the whole affair at that time, but I would grow to hate it. Yet I followed Mister Frodo into the very heart of Mount Doom, where the Ring was forged, the one place it could be destroyed. It was right smack in the middle of Mordor, where the Dark Lord Sauron lives. It was terribly dangerous, and quite frightening. Yet we did it, Mister Frodo and I did it.

And to think: All I wanted to do was trim the grass.


End file.
